St Bernie's
by Miss Murphy's Dandy
Summary: twist on E and B's meeting if the circumstances were a bit different... ie the environment wasn't Forks High, but a Catholic high school... really fun read. Characters are cannon. M is the plan for the future... 1st chapter is safe for everyone
1. Chapter 1

**St Bernie's Beginnings:**

The early morning September sky was overcast and threatening rain. Seattle would be a good fit us. We might only miss a few school days in the year; I played both arguments in my head as to whether this would be a good thing or not. An angry breeze darted against my skin and I tugged my grey school jacket against me reflexively. I wasn't cold, but had lived among humans as a vampire long enough to go through the human reactions almost instinctually.

I found our presence at a private Catholic high school laughable, ironic, and ludicrous. While the church no longer openly acknowledged the existence of vampires, our histories converged once upon an ugly midnight conspiracy. For some reason however, Jasper thought it was entirely too entertaining. Therefore, as it was his turn to pick our school we dutifully packed our trendy bags, donned our matching green and grey school uniforms, and made our way to the stately front entrance of our new school.

Seattle's St. Bernadette's Preparatory School, or "St Bernie" as it is colloquially known, is an old catholic high school (at least in terms of schools on the west coast), rich in history and prestige. Not only that, but the school is said to teach the North West's brightest and most affluent young minds. The school, being both expensive and socially elitist, was brimming with children, all who thought themselves to be the pinnacle of greatness. It was going to be a hellish few years.

I rolled my eyes at the onslaught of self important thoughts racing through the minds of our future peers. Slamming the door shut with a touch of my fingers I huffing a "just brilliant" under my breath earning me a glare from Alice, who a few bounds ahead of me turned to condemn my pessimistic attitude. _Try to be less condescending would you?_

"Just trying to fit in" I shot back smiling and raising my eyebrows, daring her to defend the pompous young minds swimming around us.

For our current mission (as Jasper had called it, slipping easily into the role of captan) we were 5 adopted high school aged kids, being raised by a prominent research doctor working closely with Fred Hutch in Cancer Research and his equally prominent wife who was collaborating with the City of Seattle on designing cohesive transportation and city development. Our relationships were convoluted as always: I was supposedly Alice's biological sister, Emmet our brother, while Rose and Jasper were meant to be our cohorts from the adoption agency-or some odd ridiculous association. Alice, Jasper and I were registered at Sophomores, Emmet and Rose as Juniors.

As we entered the impressively gothic campus I pondered the sea of green and grey around me. The women were dressed in grey sweaters pulled snugly over white button up blouses and dark green skirts with subtle grey plaid patterns running across them to the knees or particularly unbecoming dark green pants, needless to say most women wore the skirt. The shoes were all different styles but were all black and closed toe. The men wore matching grey sweaters over white button-ups distinguished as different from the women only in their anatomy and the addition of a dark green tie. All the men wore dark grey slacks and black shoes.

I found it interesting the way the thoughts zipping through these young minds found new so much to criticize when so much of how they looked was identical: hair color and cut, tan, make-up, nails, shoes, weight, bags, braces. Why had I thought that streamlining the clothes would make any difference? Human's, especially high schoolers, were so predictable, so disappointing.

In the crowded marble halls we had yet to be noticed and I savored our perch as outsiders once more as a small beaming red head who, instantly reminded me of Alice, situated herself in our path to the registrar's office.

"Welcome to St. Bernie's" her smile was genuine and her thoughts did not stray from her greetings of welcome. " My name is Anne, I'm a Sophomore here, are you all new? I don't recognize you? Wow I like that, Sophomore, it's nice not to be the bottom of the heap for once" Her voice was high and fast, her eyes inquisitive and open.

"Well, hello Anne, I'm Alice. I feel like you and I will be fast friends. And yes. I am new." she stuck our her small arm (which happened to be gloved against the weather) and shock vigorously the hand of her new friend. "These duds behind me are new too" She shot back a smile. "The quite one that looks bored in the back there is Edward-my brother dear. Next to him-the blond with her nose up so high you can almost see up it is my adopted cousin Rosalie" She paused to allow Rose to throw daggers at her with her eyes. "And lets see who else. The dreamy nervous thing here (patting her husbands hand) is my boy-toy Jazz, and lastly that big lump of muscle is Emmet- my other brother dear."

"My goodness, well there sure is a lot of you so I'm sure you will manage well without me, but if needed just holler. I can show you guys to the registrar's office and then send you in the right direction for your first class? "

My first class was assigned on the second level of the classic building. I would be starting each day for the rest of the semester with history. I loathed history more than any other subject-there was nothing new to learn, and I found myself pipping corrections in the first person when a teacher smeared a fact, or dated an event incorrectly. It was missery.

After picking up our slips of course assignments we were given not only the locations, but all the dirt and social commentary that might be necessary to "survive" as Anne phrased it.

"So did you all come from a private school before?" _'Cause if you didn't this place is going to throw you for a real loop. These people are ruthless, you got to know how to play dirty to make it in a school like this._

_"_No. This is all new for us" Alice had become our spokesperson.

Anne whistled quietly under her breath "Well then do I have a lot to catch you all up on"

Anne and Alice prattled on as we the group of vampires trudged along behind them; Emmet, distracted as always by just about everything we passed, Rose swatting at him intermittently for not having been attentive to her, and Jasper focusing intently on controlling himself. And that was when I smelled it. Like water to a man in the desert, ice to a man on fire, air to a drowning man, like the smell of the sweetest blood to a ravenous vampire. I had to find it, had to have it.

I felt myself still as the others continued on to their first class. My brain went blank- there were no minds invading my own, no sounds filling my ears. The only thing that existed was that smell. I had to have it. Needed to be closer to it. Needed to be buried in that sent. Surrounded in that sweetness.

A moment later I felt to petite hands brace me with strength and determination.

"Edward. Hello! Edward!" I was being shaken by the to small hands. "Earth to Edward" _Not cute. Not funny Edward. Pay attention to me Edward. This is so not okay. You need to snap out of it! Now! It isn't worth it. You love your family. Come back from the ledge. Seriously. Snap out of it. NOW!!! _

_A.N.: So this is actually my second story on FF... however, my first story was reviewer-less so if you could take pity on the poor-wanna-be-writer's soul and give me some feed back. I keep telling myself that I write for me and I don't care what other people think of my writing... but even I know that's a big fat lie! Probably karma from being an inconsistent reviewer myself... alas would love to hear what you think!!!_

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	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Hey I got 2 reviews! Yes!_

_So for some reason I really want to flip-flop tenses from past to present throughout my writing... thinking that it is now ALL in present (fingers crossed). Thank you to those 2 lovely readers who reviewed... I feel so validated :)_

_Hope this chapter is review worthy??? Enjoy_

_-K_

_CHAPTER 2:_

I blink and find two golden orbs boring into my own, they are powerful and tense. Alice means business. This isn't a good sign, quite the opposite actually.

When she realizes that I can now hear her, her eyes relax minutely. I realize that a crowd is forming too late to come up with a reason for my frozen state. Luckily, Alice is quicker on her feet.

"Gosh Edward, you scarred me! Don't you ever do that to me again" She reprimands loudly. She places the back side of her hand against my forehead. "I think you might be coming down with something. Maybe you should go home." _Really Edward, I don't have a good feeling about this. _And with that she opens her mind to me and shows me a vision of myself. In her vision I am outside the school covered in blood and sobbing empty tears in public. I shudder and my eyes go wide with fear. I have to get out of here.

I nod my head and mutter something about feeling punchy. Looks of sympathy and concern overwhelm me. I deserve none of it.

I race for the exit in the most human way I can muster in my adrenaline spiked haze. I'm not breathing. I don't want to let in any tainted air. Faces and expensive accessories whip by me, thoughts and questions careen through my consciousness.

_What's his deal? Uh, class is the other way._

_Wow that kid sure can run._

_He's gorgeous. Where is he going? What's the big rush?_

_That's odd, I wonder what's up with that guy?_

The doors were coming up on me fast now. My breath is still clamped inside me as I try to organize the frantic scrambled thoughts circling my mind.

Then, just a moment before I burst through the thick heavy entrance my vision is pulled to the right for the shortest of instances. I had heard a skipped beat. People have them all the time, but it was something about the way the heart raced and trilled then skipped ahead that caught my attention. The beats ticked out like a complex song, one I had yet to compose.

It was her. I knew the moment I saw her. Knew that something, someone, so entirely beautiful, so exquisitely hand painted had to have been created just for me. She was mine. It was her blood that sang to me, her heart that beat out the rhythm of my soul. It was her blood that made me crazy.

The frenzy was going to overtake me, because just as suddenly as I had wanted only to revel in her taste and drain her, I now could think of nothing but preserving her, enjoying her morning elegance. I still didn't trust myself to breathe and found myself again stunned into a frozen pose.

Her hair was like coffee, strong and dark poured across her face and over her shoulders. Her skin was like cream, smooth and rich. I could see her sweet blood dance just beneath its surface. Tiny freckles dusted across her countenance. Fresh spring petals formed her silken lips. But, it was her eyes that gave her away. They spoke volumes. Her eyes were dark and wide, open and reserved, nervous and accepting, encouraging and timid.

Then the petals moved into a soft smile. She looked awkward and uncomfortable. Her heart continued to patter and skip. I was staring.

"Oh goodness, you really must be under the weather." Those two small hands are back. Alice is pushing me through the threshold and to the other side.

"Why don't I give Mom or Dad a call and they can come pick you up" _Seriously, that was way too still for human standing Edward. Be cool. I swear, if I had known I was bringing a new born to school today I never would have agreed to this._ Alice chastises me in my head, but her smile assures me she really doesn't mind.

We are back in the parking lot now. It is raining heavily. I take a deep unnecessary breath. The air is clean and blood free.

"You saw her didn't you?" I asked my beaming sister.

"Who? The girl you were raping with your eyes back there? The girl whose eyes you were lost in? The girl whose heart was jumping around like she's on something?"

"You noticed that too? Yeah. That's the human I smelled. Her blood is hypnotizing. I've never wanted to hunt a human so much. Not even as a newborn I don't think"

I was genuinely perplexed and bemused. I needed someone else's impute.

"I was worried about you for a minute there. I wish I had seen that earlier. I wish I could have prepared you. But, I have to ask, Edward, I seemed like you had much more control there in the doorway. You didn't have the look of the hunt in your eyes. Were you holding your breath?"

"Of course I was. I might have done something very foolish just now if I had been breathing. The weird thing is though, now that I have seen her, now that I know who the smell belongs to I think I want her blood less. Not that it smells any less wonderful, because the scent still lingers inside of me, and it is still captivatingly delicious. It's just that now there is a face to the name, now there is a human that I associated with that smell. A human that I want very badly not to hurt. Does that make any sense?"

Alice's eyes flutter shut and reopen far away. It is a fraction of a second but I know she has seen something. She is smiling now, like she's holding on to a secret. Listening in I hear a conglomeration of sixties songs. _Don't worry baby, everything will turn out right... Just a sit'n on the dock to the bay... Oh, pretty woman, walk'n down the street, pretty woman, the kind I'd like to meet...Oh I'm a believer I couldn't leave her if I tried..._ Her mind was cycling through songs faster than I could keep track, her doe eyes batting with innocence.

"Well, little flower child, I won't ask or pry. Although, the Beach Boys will be stuck in my head the rest of the day, thank you very much" I noted.

"You'll survive. And so will the girl. But, I think it would be best if you headed home, I think you probably need some time to reevaluate the situation and come up with a game plan" Alice advised patting my shoulder.

"I think I can make it now without any blood shed, but no, you're right. I'll see you all back at home"

"If I leave now I will make to my class on time, and you know what they say about first impressions" she twirled and was off, back into the school.

I wanted to go for a run, clear my head. I ought to hunt. But mostly, I needed advice. I needed Carlisle. So, slipping into my volvo I headed in the direction of Harbor-view, my "father's" new hospital. This was urgent.

----

BPOV:

Rain is imminent. The storm clouds over the Sound promise rain within the hour. I sigh, resigned to the weather.

The elderly woman sitting next to me is getting off at this stop and is struggling to collect all of the plastic bags traveling with her, they crunch and crinkle in her hands. I lift the last one, which has slid under my legs, and hand it to her. She mouths what I assume to be a "thank you." I pull off my headphones, the two dollar pair they sell on the train that I have held on to for years.

"Don't mention it. Have a nice day"

As she teeters toward the bus's exit another rider flops into her vacant seat. He looks like anther student on his way to some public Seattle school dressed in baggy denim and rain jacket.

"Nice outfit." he remarks with a laugh

"I know right?" I smile softly and hope he doesn't want to strike up a conversation as I pull up my headphones.

I let my copy of_ Jane Eyre_ fall back to the page I had been reading. There is tiny scrawl in the margins and the ear has been folded over. I have always liked that about old library books, its like reading through the eyes of all the past readers. Not only does the novel tell a story, but the book it has lived inside also holds a story. I pause to read the notes. Was it the work of a man or woman, young reader or old, for a class or for their own amusement?

The bus jerks to a stop. Glancing up I realize that we have reached my destination, St. Bernadette's. Closing Jane Eyre, I sling my ancient black Jansport pack onto one shoulder and shimmy past my seat neighbor and off of the bus. I am taking geometry, upstairs in the main hall first hour and the bus was running on the late side of timely. Speed-walking the two blocks to campus I organized my schedule for the week: geometry, literature, gym, lunch, biology, history, physics, orchestra, bus ride to the library, work from four to eight, bus ride home, homework, sleep.

Figuring how I might multitask bus rides and homework, or bus rides and sleep brought me to the front steps of St. Bernie's. My looker was just inside the main hall to the left. Pushing my way through the masses I made my way toward locker number 1903. I glanced up from my locker in response to a change in the chatter among my peers.

A very brisk walking student was making his way down the hall. He looks unfamiliar, copper hair flying in every direction, porcelain skin, a grecian profile, and a certain uprightness to his stance. I can't take my eyes off of him.

The speed at which he is reaching the doors is remarkable. Then just as he is about to disappear through the entrance he looks at me. He gapes at me like I am an alien from another planet, like I have three eyes instead of my two. I feel self conscious but cannot break his stare. He stands frozen in place. His eyes are dark with specs of gold in them, they are piercing and strong.

Has it been seconds or minutes? I smile meekly to acknowledge his stare. He is beautiful, like no other man I have ever seen. I have no idea why he is staring me down.

Another angel saunters down the hall behind him and pushes him into motion and out of the building. He unfreezes and in a distracted haze lets the small girl guide him into the parking-lot.

The students resume their chatter as they make their way to their first hour class. I know I need to hurry, know that I need to get to class, but want desperately to follow the two students into the parking-lot. I grab my notebook, slam the locker and sneak a peek out the doors. They are standing there talking to each other. There is a closeness between them. Are they together? She pats his shoulder and turns back to the building. She catches my eye and winks as she walks past. Startled that I have been found out I rush up the stairs to Geometry with Mr. Moss, whose lecture style is so unimpressive I hope I'll be able to stay on topic.

I see Angela as I walk in and sigh with relief. Angela is one of only 5 students, including myself, that have full financial scholarship to be here. We are both wearing the black shoes we wore all last year, used uniforms, a knock off watch and no other accessories. I sink into the desk across from her and say a quick good morning.

She smiles with her entire face. She needs braces badly but can't afford them. The gap between her two front teeth is endearing in my opinion. Unfortunately the rest of the school does not feel the same.

"You got lucky with Mr. Moss first thing in the morning too?" She greets.

"Yep. Let's hope we make it through alive."

Little did I know then how apt that hope was.


End file.
